36 



THE OOLOGISt 



Collecting Birds' Eggs. 



What is needed — Preparing Specimens 



R. Magoon Barnes. 



It is useless, even wanton, to collect 

 eggs of our birds unless with a definite 

 purpose. Eggs are absolutely worth- 

 less or worse unless properly collect- 

 ed, prepared, preserved and recorded. 

 To do these things one must be equip- 

 ped with some things, chiefest of 

 which is a settled determination to do 

 whatever is done well. 



First of all you will want a note- 

 book in which to record your observa- 

 tions. Do not rely on memory for 

 anything, the fuller and more com- 

 plete the notes the better. From two 

 to a half dozen egg drills and a blow- 

 pipe or two are necessary. Get the 

 "cut the lining" kind of drills of 

 assorted sizes. These with the blow- 

 pipes may be had of dealers in such 

 instruments. They should be thor- 

 oughly cleansed after each using. 

 Some sort of a receptical, a cigar box 

 filled with cotton or something of the 

 kind is necessary to carry eggs in 

 while afield and a safe and secure one 

 in which to keep them after coming 

 home. A copy of the American Orni- 

 thologists Check List (The A. O. U. 

 list) and either Bailey's "Birds of the 

 Western United States," or Chapman's 

 "Birds of Eastern North America," 

 will be well nigh indespensible. Like- 

 wise Charles K. Reed's "North Ameri- 

 can Birds Eggs," or Oliver Davies' 

 "Nests and Eggs of North American 

 Birds," will be found some help. 



Assuming you have some or all of 

 the above let us start out some bright 

 morning in quest of specimens. The 

 sun is bright and warm; there is a 

 slight balmy south wind. Spring is 

 wearing her splendid garb fresh, 

 bright green and her brow is garland- 

 ed with bloom of ritous color while 

 perfume floats in the air. With collec- 

 tor's box full of cotton slung over our 



shoulder and our note-book in our 

 pocket we start out, full of anticipa- 

 tion and life. 



We know the Woodpeckers nest in 

 holes, and Meadowlarks on the ground 

 while Robins in trees and Indigo Bunt- 

 ings in bushes. We are starting a col- 

 lection, and of course begin with the 

 common varieties. 



Suppose we find a Robin's nest in 

 an apple tree. Here is what we do or 

 should do. First make absolutely 

 sure it is a Robin — of course we know 

 a Robin, but later we may find some 

 nests where we do not know the birds. 

 So begin right now to look and be 

 certain of the identity of the owner of 

 the nest. Then we climb up and peep 

 into the nest. Only two eggs! An in- 

 complete set so we leave them and 

 pass on. 



Next we find a Blue Bird's nest in 

 an abandoned Woodpecker's hole in a 

 small dead limb of an apple tree. We 

 are first very sure it is a Blue Bird. 

 The identity of the bird is ALWAYS 

 first. Then we look into the nest. Five 

 fresh eggs! Good! Our first specimen 

 for "our collection." How shall we get 

 them out? Our hand is too large to 

 get into the hole. It is not so very 

 far to the house and we go back and 

 borrow a saw. Slowly and very care- 

 fully we saw the small limb off below 

 the nest and lower it to the ground, 

 turn it slightly over and take a spoon 

 out of our pocket and lift out the beau- 

 tiful blue eggs one at a time. These 

 we roll separately in cotton and place 

 in our cigar box. Then we take our 

 note-book out and sit down and enter 

 the following: 



"(1) 766 a-5. Nest 7 feet up in 

 abandoned Woodpecker's hole in dead 

 limb of an apple tree in an orchard. 

 Birds seen, eggs fresh, nest saved. 

 Remarks. This nest was on the south 

 side of the tree and the opening was 

 toward the south east. The cavity 



